Trivia

Mr. Universe in 1951, 1958 and 1965.

He was Arnold Schwarzenegger's bodybuilding inspiration due to impressing the young man with his performance in Hercules in the Haunted World (1961). Arnold trained with him in the late 60s and actually lived with him and his family for a time in their home in South Africa. It was he who urged Arnold into taking the Hercules in New York (1970) film role as a money-making proposition.

At age 42, he competed against Arnold Schwarzenegger in a 1970 body-building contest and was edged out in a closely fought contest - losing the Mr. Universe title to Schwarzenegger by only 1/2 a point. In his last physique competition Park once again placed 2nd at the 1973 Mr. Universe at age 45. Park always maintained that he trained and competed steroid free.

Not only massively built but incredibly strong, Park often demonstrated his strength in public promotions, lifting up the back of cars, among other feats.

Park was the first bodybuilder to bench press 500 lbs, and the second man in history to succeed with that weight. He achieved the lift on his 25th birthday, just 10 days after Canadian Olympic Weightlifter Doug Hepburn became the first to Bench Press 500 pounds on May 28, 1953. Hepburn outweighed Park by 60 pounds.

Father of environmentalist and tree-planter Jeunesse Park (born 1954) and Montreal Olympics swimmer Jon-Jon Park (born 1957).

He was the only British bodybuilder to become a star in the Italian made sword and sandal/mythological muscleman movies that became a popular genre from the late 1950s into the mid 1960s.

His father, Reginald Park, owned a gymnasium and barbell company and followed his father into competition.

In later years he served as a contributor to a muscle magazine and judged competitions.

On October 22, 1952, he married the beautiful Mareon Isaacs, the sister of bodybuilder star and commercial film technician Johnny Isaacs. The powerfully built Isaacs almost won the Mr. Universe title himself in 1953 and competed into the early 1960s winning several prestigious titles.

Personal fitness trainer in South Africa (2001)

His wife, whom he married in 1952, was a former ballerina from South Africa.